Tikka T3X Roughtech Reviews

[NDGuy]

Anyone put one of these through the ringer yet? Thinking this will be my next rifle...when it comes in left hand lol

 

[Desk Jockey]

Interested too, though I think it will be next year before they have really seen a little bit of use from most.

 

[False_Cast]

It’s a T3x.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What’s there to review??? Read any T3x review then decide if a camo stock and a plastic bolt handle are worth an additional 500 dollars to you.

 

[ak max 83]

T3X are generally great out of box. Only wished Tikka modernized their slow factory twist rates.

 

[NDGuy]

What’s there to review??? Read any T3x review then decide if a camo stock and a plastic bolt handle are worth an additional 500 dollars to you.

Also has a fluted bolt, barrel, and a brake on it.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Also has a fluted bolt, barrel, and a brake on it.

I bet it shots and functions exactly like any t3x, so decide if those “upgrades” are worth the money to you.

 

[NDGuy]

I bet it shots and functions exactly like any t3x, so decide if those “upgrades” are worth the money to you.

Fair, just was curious if people shot it much.

 

[meta_gabbro]

Anyone put one of these through the ringer yet?

Not quite through the ringer yet, but I've got about 1000 rounds through mine in 308. Purchased November 2020, paired with a Vortex Diamondback Tactical but will be swapping that out for a Leupold VX-3HD before next season. So far I'm quite happy with it; bolt runs smoothly, no machining marks, trigger is a fantastically crisp single stage, mags aren't finnicky, the stock doesn't get as cold as the receiver on my Remington 760. I have two sub-MOA loads verified out to 400 so far, 168gr SMK's over 44.8gr IMR4064 and 150gr Speer 2022's over 47gr CFE223, and I'm working up another load for mule deer with 130gr TTSX. No issues so far; bolt is still buttery smooth, trigger hasn't changed at all, no problems with stock rigidity, POI shifted slightly after 600 rounds but it's been consistent so not a big deal. I like it enough that I picked another one up in 300WSM to replace my Browning X-Bolt, and it'll be going with me on at least one elk hunt this year. The only changes I've made to the rifle itself were to swap out the factory grip for the pistol grip, and I might see about getting a can for them next year.

I know that a lot of the extra features on these are just for looks, and I'm fine with that. They're still decently light mountain rifles that shoot quite well, and since I don't have a huge turnover rate in my gun safe I might as well get something that I like the looks of since I'm going to have it for a while. The slow twist rate doesn't bother me for either cartridge since I tend to use lighter bullets anyway, though I could see it being an issue in the 300WSM (not the 308 though; this is a hunting rifle, and 180gr is plenty for the cartridge. If you're shooting more than that, chances are you either need to step up in cartridges, or not be trying to use a hunting rifle as a precision rifle).

 

[bsnedeker]

As much talk as their is about the twist rates on Tikkas my 300 WM shoots factory 200 gr Hornady Precision Hunter (Eldx) lights out. I've got a 10 shot group at 400 yards that is a little over 3 inches. I was shooting really well that day admittedly but even on a normal day I find the accuracy to be outstanding.

 

[meta_gabbro]

As much talk as their is about the twist rates on Tikkas my 300 WM shoots factory 200 gr Hornady Precision Hunter (Eldx) lights out. I've got a 10 shot group at 400 yards that is a little over 3 inches. I was shooting really well that day admittedly but even on a normal day I find the accuracy to be outstanding.

My thoughts exactly. I definitely don't need the faster twist for what I do since 200gr is plenty for the game and distances I shoot, but I could see it becoming a problem for folks who are much much better shots, bigger reloading geeks than I am, or people who want their guns to pull double duty as target rigs. At that point though, they probably already knew that this wasn't the rifle for them so /shrug

 

[Steve from GA]

There’s a fair amount of anecdotal evidence to suggest that Tikka has updated their 300WM rifles to 1:10 twist. Not sure about other calibers.

 

[snuzzo29]

What is the barrel and reciever finish on the roughtechs? Is it blued?

 

[meta_gabbro]

What is the barrel and reciever finish on the roughtechs? Is it blued?

Yep, blued. Gotta move up to the Veil to get Cerakote. FWIW the price jump between the two is about what it'd cost to get a coating applied

 

[83cj-7]

This:

Amazing results from a factory Tikka

Did some shooting today with my best friend and his BIL who was shooting a Tikka T3x Roughtech in .300 Win. After getting zeroed and getting some speeds on his ammo we worked out his dope to 400 yards. The rifle was very consistent at all ranges. We wanted to put 3 round on steel at 400 just...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Antares]

What’s there to review??? Read any T3x review then decide if a camo stock and a plastic bolt handle are worth an additional 500 dollars to you.

Not sure that’s entirely accurate. For one, Roughtechs don’t come with camo stocks, you may be thinking of the Veils.

A Roughtech is a T3x with a heavier barrel (D18 contour), fluted bolt, and oversized bolt knob. The stock has a rough texture to it. Barrel is flutted and threaded 5/8-24. Comes with a radial brake. Finish is blued.

I have one in 6.5CM that I got new for $864. I put it in a McMillan Game Scout and added an APA brake. It shoots factory 140gr ELD-M very well; during testing it shot 9 consecutive 3-shot groups that averaged .44 MOA.

I’ve got no complaints.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Not sure that’s entirely accurate. For one, Roughtechs don’t come with camo stocks, you may be thinking of the Veils.

A Roughtech is a T3x with a heavier barrel (D18 contour), fluted bolt, and oversized bolt knob. The stock has a rough texture to it. Barrel is flutted and threaded 5/8-24. Comes with a radial brake. Finish is blued.

I have one in 6.5CM that I got new for $864. I put it in a McMillan Game Scout and added an APA brake. It shoots factory 140gr ELD-M very well; during testing it shot 9 consecutive 3-shot groups that averaged .44 MOA.

I’ve got no complaints.

Interesting. I’d rather just have a t3x lite though if I were going to go with a tikka.

 

[Antares]

Interesting. I’d rather just have a t3x lite though if I were going to go with a tikka.

Yeah, for sure. I’m not really sure what niche they’re trying to fill with the Roughtech. They’re heavy. Mine’s 11 lbs as pictured above w/ bipod, but I knew that going in. I wanted a long range target gun and it does that well. Certainly not the base I would use for a lightweight hunting rifle though.

 

[meta_gabbro]

Yeah, for sure. I’m not really sure what niche they’re trying to fill with the Roughtech. They’re heavy.

Eh, I think they're competitive with rifles offering similar features (fluted barrel, brake, intended for hunting) in the same price range. It's ~2oz heavier than the Browning X-Bolt HC, ~2oz lighter than the Browning X-Bolt SS Stalker, 1lb lighter than the Savage 110 LR Hunter, 9oz heavier than a Savage 110 UL, 6oz lighter than a Win Model 70 Featherweight, almost a pound lighter than a Remington 700 CDL, and a pound and a half lighter than a Savage 110 High Country (which is a hilariously chonky rifle for the high country). Those weights are all for 300WSM chamberings for those rifles, which are right around the $1k mark. Granted, some of those other rifles will get you things like Cerakote or very adjustable stocks, but others are just blued and don't have things like the fluted barrel or brake. So it's more or less in line if you wanted something a little fancier than a base model rifle but don't want to go too far over $1k

 

[Antares]

Eh, I think they're competitive with rifles offering similar features (fluted barrel, brake, intended for hunting) in the same price range. It's ~2oz heavier than the Browning X-Bolt HC, ~2oz lighter than the Browning X-Bolt SS Stalker, 1lb lighter than the Savage 110 LR Hunter, 9oz heavier than a Savage 110 UL, 6oz lighter than a Win Model 70 Featherweight, almost a pound lighter than a Remington 700 CDL, and a pound and a half lighter than a Savage 110 High Country (which is a hilariously chonky rifle for the high country). Those weights are all for 300WSM chamberings for those rifles, which are right around the $1k mark. Granted, some of those other rifles will get you things like Cerakote or very adjustable stocks, but others are just blued and don't have things like the fluted barrel or brake. So it's more or less in line if you wanted something a little fancier than a base model rifle but don't want to go too far over $1k

Fair enough. I wasn’t being very clear. I meant that they’re heavy compared to my 6.5 lbs (scoped) Tikka and Kimber.